Grandma and Grandpa Forster were solid midwestern people, never shy about expressing their affection. They covered Lily with kisses and hugs, their voices booming as they told her how much they’d missed her. There was no hesitation on their part, no reluctance. They didn’t consider that Lily might not be ready for this much affection. Abby worried that it would upset Lily, that it would be too much, but Lily soaked up their adoration.
After their well wishes, Lily broke away and turned to Meme, their paternal grandmother. When they were little, Dad wanted them to call his mother Mee-maw, but neither one of them could say it properly, and Meme had stuck.
Time hadn’t been kind to Meme. She’d suffered a double loss—first Lily and then her son in a three-month span. She had never been the same, her heart shattered beyond repair. Bent over, clutching her walker, her portable oxygen tank resting on the seat, her face lit up, reminding Lily of the ballroom dancing photos she’d seen when Meme was young. Lily towered over the older woman, and had to bend down to gently wipe the tears from Meme’s wrinkled face.
“I missed you, sweet girl. I missed you so much.”
“It’s okay, Meme. It’s okay. Don’t cry. I’m right here. I missed you too…”
“Davey is looking down on you, Lily. My boy is smiling so darn hard right now, and he’s wrapping those big, strong arms around you. Around both his girls.”
Abby didn’t believe in any of that higher-power God bullshit. But just this once, she hoped Meme was right. Maybe her father was out there somewhere, witnessing this reunion. Lily finally turned around, her gaze landing on Wes, who was still hovering in the doorway. Lily pushed her long blond hair out of her eyes and moved to him. In that instant, Abby knew that Lily hadn’t forgotten Wes. If anything, Lily’s feelings, like her life, had remained frozen in time.
“Wes, I can’t believe it’s you. That you’re here. I… I never thought I’d see you again.”
Abby was consumed with regret as she watched Wes move to hug Lily. She flinched almost imperceptibly. Abby wasn’t sure if anyone else noticed, but she wondered if Lily was preparing for a blow to the head or a punch to the gut—the kind of punishments Rick doled out. But Lily must have sensed that Wes would never harm her, because she let him hold on to her. Abby saw how perfectly they fit together. She couldn’t help but wonder if Wes noticed how slim and lovely Lily was, how good she looked in spite of everything she’d endured.
Abby sank down onto the sofa. Why hadn’t she thought about this moment all those years ago when she’d begged Wes to kiss her? When she’d slept with him over and over again? Why hadn’t she believed more in Lily? She’d told everyone she met that her sister wasn’t dead, and yet she’d still taken what Lily loved most.
Wes finally pulled away from Lily. He nervously cleared his throat. “Lily, we have to tell you something.”
Lily stepped back. No one moved. Abby jumped up from the sofa, eyeing her mother. Please. Make him stop, she pleaded silently. Thankfully, Mom stepped forward.
“Wes, now is not the time.”
“Abby, we can’t do this. Lily needs the truth.”
Abby wanted to murder him. She literally couldn’t believe he was doing this.
“Wes, please. We’ll talk later. When things have calmed down.”
Lily glanced back and forth between Wes and Abby. “Talk about what? Abby, what’s going on?”
Abby opened her mouth, but no words came out. Wes reached for Abby’s hand.
“We’re together, Lily. Abby and I are together…”
Abby jerked away from his touch. “He’s wrong. We’re not together. We were…”
Wes’s anger got the best of him, and he forgot about Lily for a split second.
“Jesus Christ, Abby, we’re having a goddamn baby. How is that not together?”
Abby watched Lily as hurt, disbelief, and then heartbroken resignation danced across her face.
“Lil, I can explain. I can…”
Lily took a step back, eyeing Abby’s swollen belly, then Wes’s face, and back again as if trying to put all the pieces together. Abby was crying now.
“Please, Lily, you have to know…”
Stone-faced, Lily moved over to the sofa and picked up Sky. “It doesn’t matter. Really, it doesn’t,” she said.
Abby wanted to tell Lily exactly what happened, but Lily turned her back on Abby and Wes as she addressed the rest of her family.
“I’m not feeling well and Sky’s exhausted. I think we both need some rest.”
She moved toward the stairs.
“Say we’re okay, Lily. Please. I need to know we’re okay,” Abby whispered as Lily passed her. But Lily didn’t say a word as she headed up the stairs.
Abby heard her grandparents and Mom moving around, dissecting what had occurred, but she wasn’t listening. She was staring at Wes.
“Abby, I’m sorry, I only came by to check on you, I never meant for it to happen like this. But now Lily knows and we can all move forward. She’ll understand. We’ll make her understand.”